cover image An Ivy Hill Christmas

An Ivy Hill Christmas

Julie Klassen. Bethany House, $15.99 trade paper (224p) ISBN 978-0-76423-380-7

Klassen (The Bride of Ivy Green) returns to Ivy Hill, England, for this charming stand-alone Christmas romance. Richard Brockwell, a self-centered writer who lives alone in 1822 London, dreads going home to Brockwell Court for Christmas. Returning means facing a past Richard would rather forget, but what the confirmed bachelor doesn’t plan on when he arrives is falling for the lovely Arabella Awdry. Arabella knows of Richard’s rakish reputation and, having sworn off marriage in order to dedicate herself to charitable pursuits, rejects him. Richard’s normally tough exterior and heart soften, as he advocates for an orphaned apprentice who is suffering abuse and helps two widows whose home is in disrepair. But even as Richard thinks of others and make amends for his past, he struggles to believe that God loves him. Arabella, meanwhile, notices the changes in Richard and begins to have feelings for him—even though she is determined to continue with her own life plans. But Christmastime interventions from above work to place the two together. This feel-good tale of love and redemption will delight Klassen’s fans and new readers alike. Agent: Wendy Lawton, Books & Such. (Sept.)